Automobile license tag holder



Au 15, 1933. L. LOCOLLO ET AL 1,922,595

AUTOMOBILE LICENSE TAG HOLDER Filed April 4, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 dInvenlor I 4 {9 locozza j j Z0 Marv w 8- 1933- 1.. LOCOLLO ET ALAUTOMOBILE LICENSE TAG HOLDER Filed A pril 4, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2llflfyz'locaddi, #737 e 20 Marrw Inventor f1 lfomey Patented Aug. 15,1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE T I V 7 1,922,595 I l I AUTOMQBILELICENSE .TAG HOLDER Luigi Locollo and Angelo MorraQPlainfield, N. J.

Application April 4,1933. Serial No. 664,427

2 Claims. (Cl. 40-133) Thisinvention relates to a new and improvedholder for automobiles license tags or plates.

Although the invention does not enter a wholly new and uncultivatedfield, it constitutes an appreciable and readily recognizable additionto the trade and art in that it is characterized by a simple andeconomical casing including handy and dependable tag retention means anda so called lamp box for association therewith which is intended topermit the letters, numbers and other data on the tag to be readilyvisualized at night and from a considerable distance.

In adopting and perfecting an embodiment of the invention to satisfytherequirements of our purposes and aims we have evolved and produced asimple and economical structure readily distinguishable as animprovement in the industry in that it embodies an ingenious adaptationand 1 perfect coordination of details each of which contributes itsproportionate share to the provision of a structurally refined andimproved device susceptible of fulfilling the purposes of the inventionwith a requisite degree of success.

Other features and advantages such as superior convenience andcompactness and adaptability to repair and replacement will become morereadily apparent from the following description and drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a device constructed inaccordance with the invention showing the manner in which it may be putin use.

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view thereof.

and 4-4= respectively of Figure 2.

Figures 5, 6 and 7 are detail perspective views of the essential partsof the assembly.

Referring first to Figure 5 it will be observed that the numeral 8designates the license tag or plate. As is customary this is ofregulation or standardized shape and proportion and is designed to bechanged periodically on the customary annual plan. In the presentinstance the indicating numerals and letters are punched out to formperforations and at one end the plate is provided with holes 9 toaccommodate fastening screws 10 as shown in Figure 1. This tag ismounted in front of a suitably colored tran parent glass plate 11. Theplate 11 removably seated in an opening backed by a marginal confiningledge or flange 12 of the frame 13. The upper horizontal bar of thisframe is provided with slots 14 for a purpose to be hereinafterdescribed. The left hand end portion is provided Figures 3 and 4 aresections on the lines 3-3 with holes 9a to register with the holes 9 inthe tag 8. At this same end is a finger grip or tab 15 to facilitatehandling the frame 13 and glass plate 11 as a unit. The frame 13, plate11 and tag 8 may be described as a removable and replaceable unit. As ageneral rule the glass plate 11 will be colored to correspond with thecolor of the tag.

The aforesaid unit is removably contained in a specially designed sheetmetal holder. This comprises primarily a casing 16 having a marginalborder fashioned to provide a holder for the tag and its associatedparts. As shown in Figures 3 and 4 the body portion of the casingembodies a relatively narrow downwardly inclined top wall 17, agradually inclining rear wall 18 and a somewhat wider horizontal flatbottom wall 19. The wall 19 is apertured to accommodate the sockets 20containing the removable electric bulbs or lamps 21. These are confinedwithin the limits of the casing 16. We preferably provide two such bulbsfor even distribution of the light rays. It will be noted that the backwall 18 is provided opposite each bulb with a window or entrance openinghere shown as of general rectangular form surrounded by an outstandingretention fiange22 to accommodate the rim flange of the cover plate 23.The rim snaps over the flange 22 in telescoping relation as shown inFigure 3 to prevent rattling of parts. Each cover plate is mounted on aspring closing hinge 24. The cover plates cooperate with the flanges 22in providing watertight joints. As shown in Figure '3 the upper channelshaped portion of the border indicated at 25 is slightly narrower thanthe lower also provided with slots 28 which register with the aforesaidslots is to accommodate fastener bolts 29 to secure the device as awhole to an appropriate bracket or the like 30 carried by theautomobile. This channeled border forms a frame like holder for the tag8, a glass panel or plate 11 and supporting frame 13. In other wordsthese three parts as a unit are removably contained in the holder. Atits left hand end, that is the end where the fastening screws 19 areplaced, the holder is open to permit these parts to be in serted andremoved as conditions require. The openings or windows 22 and cover 23permit access to be had to the interior of the casing for exchangingdamaged or burned out bulbs 21.

Novelty is thought to reside in the configuration of a box like part ofthe casing shown in Figures 3 and 4 comprising the downwardly inclinedtop wall 17 disposed above the relatively wider apertured bottom wall 19wherein the latter wall serves to accommodate the mounting of the bulb,and wherein the wall 17 cooperates with the receding or inclining backwall 18 to facilitate shedding of water and moisture. An additionalstructural distinction is thought to reside in the bordering holder (seeFigure 4) for the tag 8 and frame v13 wherein this part embodies channelshaped portions, that is portions which are channel shaped in crosssection, and wherein it is open at one end. Then too, stability ofassociation is thought to reside in proportioning the upper part 25 tosnugly fit the frame 13 and to permit these two parts to be slotted toaccommodate the attaching bolts 19. This arrangement insures security ofmaintenance of the apertured tag 8 andprevents shifting and possiblebreakage of the glass plate. Moreover it permits the tag 8 to be made inthe conventional way since the casing is generally to be permanentlyattached to the automobile and the tag 8 is the only renewable part withthe exception of the glass plate 11. In other words the plate 11 and tag8 are the only features which need to be renewed each year. The onlyprincipal modification in the tag is that it would be formed withcut-out letters and numbers and provided with the screw fastener holes9. This arrangement permits the invention to enter a practical field ofusefulness and also aifords a sturdy, well balanced and dependablestructure.

A careful consideration of the foregoing description in conjunction withthe illustrative drawings will enable the reader to obtain a clearunderstanding of the purpose, features and advantages, the explicitconstruction, and the invention as hereinafter claimed.

It is to be understood that minor changes in shape, size, relativeproportions, and materials may be resorted to in practice withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the inventionas now claimed.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new is:

1. An illuminated license tag holder comprising an open front hollowlamp casing having tag holding means surrounding the margin of its openfront portion, said casing embodying a rearwardly and downwardlyinclined relatively narrow top wall, an inclined rear wall, and ahorizontally disposed apertured bottom Wall, said bottom wall. servingto accommodate a bulb retaining socket, said rear wall having at leastone opening surrounded by an outwardly projecting flange, a cover forsaid opening having a marginal rim fitting telescopically over saidflange, and spring equipped hinges mounting said cover in place.

2. An illuminated license tag holder comprising an open'front, a hollowlamp casing embodying a rearwardly and outwardly inclined relativelynarrow top wall, an inclined rear wall, and a horizontally disposedbottom wall, said bottom wall serving to accommodate lamp retaining bulbsockets, said rear wall having at least one open ing surrounded by anoutwardly projecting flange, a cover for said opening having a marginalrim fitting telescopically over said flange, spring equipped hingesattaching said cover to said rear wall, the open frontal portion of saidcasing having a frame-like holder bordering its perimeter, said holderbeing open at one end and the portions thereof being of channel shapedcross sectional formation, the top channel shaped portion havinghorizontally elongated slots to accommodate attaching bolts, the outeror front wall of said top channel shaped portion having an offsetdepending lip, and a sectional license tag unit insertable through theopen end of said frame-like holder, one of the sections of said unitbeing cooperable with the aforesaid ofiset depending lip.

I LUIGI LOCOLLO.

ANGELO MORRA.

